Cura Precision Prebiotic™ is a cutting-edge precision prebiotic supplement made up of three clinically tested, non-digestible fibres (known as oligosaccharides) that can increase microbial diversity and selectively feed the beneficial, keystone bacteria that live in our microbiome.

Our main keystone bacteria are known as Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Bifidobacteria. These bacteria are called “keystone bacteria” by the scientific community as they are foundational to the formation of a healthy microbiome.

Think about the arch doorway construction in an old building, at the top of each curved archway, there is a large wedge-shaped stone – this is the keystone – the stone that creates the rigidity and structure of the archway. Without the keystone in place, the archway is not as structurally strong and is much easier to knock down.  It’s the same in our gut, without the keystone bacteria being in place the integrity and health of our gut are much weaker.

Prebiotics are the non-digestible fibres that feed the bacteria living in our gut. However, most prebiotics on the market feed both harmful and beneficial gut bacteria, which can make digestive issues much worse.

Microbial Diversity

Keystone bacteria like Akkermansia muciniphila, Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, and Bifidobacteria are extremely important for human health, but their populations can be easily diminished by antibiotic medication, stress, diet, glyphosate and other environmental toxins

A. Muciniphila

• A. muciniphila plays a vital role in metabolism and has been shown to promote fat loss.
• Low levels of A. muciniphila have been associated with obesity, diabetes, liver disease, cardiometabolic diseases and low-grade inflammation.

F. Prausnitzii

• F. prausnitzii can increase the production of butyrate, a short-chain fatty acid that maintains healthy intestinal cells.
• Low levels of F. prausnitzii have been associated with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) like Chron’s and Ulcerative Colitis, coeliac disease and chronic constipation.

Bifidobacteria

• Bifidobacteria can also increase butyrate production and promote lean body mass.
• Low levels of Bifidobacteria have been associated with obesity, diabetes, coeliac disease, allergic asthma, dermatitis, IBD, chronic fatigue syndrome and psoriasis.

Functional Fibers

Cura Precision Prebiotic™ contains a proprietary blend of functional fibres (non-digestible oligosaccharides) that specifically feed these keystone bacteria. This unique formula is made up of clinically-tested non-digestible oligosaccharides, derived from non-GMO green and gold kiwi fruit, non-GMO corn cob, and rBST-free cow’s milk.

Source of Non-Digestible Oligosaccharide	Prebiotic Fibre
Non-GMO Green & Gold Kiwifruit (Actazin®)	Fructooligosaccharides (FOS)
Non-GMO Corn Cob (Pre Ticx®)	Xylooligosaccharides (XOS)
rBST-free Cow’s Milk (Bimuno®)	Galactooligosaccharides (GOS)

Increasing populations of these protective bacteria is an integral part of reinforcing a healthy gut microbiome. Findings from clinical studies using these oligosaccharide ingredients are impressive:

• FOS increased populations of A. muciniphila by 8,000% in 5 weeks
• FOS increased populations of F. prausnitzii by 100% in 4 weeks
• GOS increased populations of Bifidobacteria by 10% in 6 weeks
• XOS increased populations of Bifidobacteria by 9% in 8 weeks

Nourish the powerful ecosystem in your gut with Cura Precision Prebiotic™ today!

THESE PRODUCTS ARE NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. YOU SHOULD ALWAYS CONSULT YOUR DOCTOR OR HEALTHCARE PRACTITIONER BEFORE USE.

RESEARCH

BLATCHFORD P, STOKLOSINSKI H, EADY S, ET AL. Consumption of kiwifruit capsules increases Faecalibacterium prausnitzii abundance in functionally constipated individuals: a randomised controlled human trial. J Nutr Sci. 2017; 6: e52.

EVERARD A, LAZAREVIC V, DERRIEN M, ET AL. Responses of Gut Microbiota and Glucose and Lipid Metabolism to Prebiotics in Genetic Obese and Diet-Induced Leptin-Resistant Mice. Diabetes. 2011 Nov; 60(11): 2775–2786.

YANG J, SUMMANEN PH, HENNING SM, ET AL. Xylooligosaccharide supplementation alters gut bacteria in both healthy and prediabetic adults: a pilot study. Front Physiol. 2015; 6: 216.

COLLADO MC, DERRIEN M, ISOLAURI E, DE VOS WM, SALMINEN S. Intestinal integrity and Akkermansia muciniphila, a mucin-degrading member of the intestinal microbiota present in infants, adults, and the elderly. Appl Environ Microbiol. 2007;73: 7767–7770.

DEPEINT F, TZORTZIS G, VULEVIC J, ET AL. Prebiotic evaluation of a novel galactooligosaccharide mixture produced by the enzymatic activity of Bifidobacterium bifidum NCIMB 41171, in healthy humans: a randomized, double-blind, crossover, placebo-controlled intervention study. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008;87:785-91.

VULEVIC J, JURIC A, TZORTZIS G, AND GIBSON GR. Mixture of trans-Galactooligosaccharides Reduces Markers of Metabolic Syndrome and Modulates the Fecal Microbiota and Immune Function of Overweight Adults. J Nutr. 2013;143(3):324-31.

CHELAKKOT C, CHOI Y, KIM DK, ET AL. Akkermansia muciniphila-derived extracellular vesicles influence gut permeability through the regulation of tight junctions. Experimental & Molecular Medicine. 2018;50:e450.

Tagged digestive healthfibrefunctional fibresgut healthkeystone bacterianutritionoligosaccharidesprebiotic

By Leyla El Moudden

Eating healthy food is the body’s primary way of getting energy and nutrition into the body. Digestion is the process the body uses to release that nutrition. Without digestion, a healthy fruit like orange is just an orange. Through digestion, an orange is converted into vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fibre. That vitamin C, folic acid, potassium and fibre nourish every cell in our body, giving us vitality and strength. Eating food is only a small part of the health story. It is the digesting of food that makes all the difference.

The work of digesting food is done by digestive enzymes. Once we understand how important digestion is to health, we can start to understand why we need to take very good care of our digestive system, and pay attention to any bloating, cramping or wind that follows eating.

When we chew, we complete the first stage of digestion by breaking up food into smaller parts. Nutrients and minerals in food are so small they can only be viewed under a microscope. Our food must reach this microscopic level of breakdown before it can give us any nutritional benefit. After we swallow, we no longer have teeth or physical tools to blend the food. Instead, our bodies use stomach acid and digestive enzymes. Chewed food is broken down in the stomach into a fluid called chyme. It is then sent into the small intestine, broken down even further, and sent through the bloodstream to nourish our body. So, what are digestive enzymes, and what do they do for us?       

Protease enzyme

Protease breaks down protein like meat, fish and eggs. Protein is what our bodies need to keep our muscles and organs working properly, Protein is used to build organs like our heart, and our blood is also made out of protein.

A sign that we may not digest protein well is that we crave meat. When we are digesting protein well, we stay fuller for longer. Food cravings and hunger pangs for meat, fish, or eggs could signal that we need to absorb more protein.  Another sign that we are not getting enough protein is that we feel hungry soon after a meal, or we feel like the food we’ve eaten stays in our stomach for too long.

To digest proteins, our bodies use a group of enzymes called proteases. The body naturally makes proteases because protein is essential for health. Proteases can also be found in fruits like pineapple and papaya, which contain small amounts of plant proteases to help us digest. This is why we often see meals with protein and fruit together, like gammon and pineapple.

Amylase enzyme

Amylase is an enzyme that helps us to break down carbohydrates and is produced by our body. Carbohydrates are our body’s favourite energy source and are found in high amounts in fruits, vegetables, potatoes and pasta.

A sign that we may not digest carbohydrates well is that we crave junk foods. This happens because our bodies need a quick energy fix that it’s not receiving from the diet.  We may also become intolerant to carbohydrates, which can appear as bloating, belching and burping after eating a high carbohydrate meal like a pizza or a pasta dish.

Small amounts of amylase can be found naturally in some raw and fermented foods, such as honey. 

Lipase enzyme

Lipase is an enzyme made by our body to digest fat. Fat supports our eye, skin, hormone and brain health. Healthy fat is found in oily foods like salmon, olives, nuts and avocadoes. Some of our most important nutrients, like vitamins A, D, E and K are also oils. So good fat digestion is vital for us to break down and absorb these beneficial fats.

If we do not digest fat properly, we may experience dry hair, skin or nails. Other signs that we are not digesting fats well can include heartburn or burping after eating a fatty meal, or floating stools that are greasy and have a strong-smelling odour to them.

Lipase is found naturally in some foods like Kimchi and Miso. Still, natural sources of lipase are rare and usually, a specialist enzyme supplement will be required to help with fat digestion problems.4. Cellulase

Cellulase is an enzyme that helps us digest fibre from plant sources like fruits and vegetables, which is what makes this enzyme especially important for vegans and vegetarians. Plants are packed full of a wide variety of healthy nutrients and minerals, so digesting them as well as possible is of great benefit for our health. 

Cellulase is not made naturally by the body, so if we are experiencing problems, such as wind and bloating, after eating vegetables we need to take cellulase in a supplement form. 

Alpha Galactosidase Enzyme

This is one of the less well-known enzymes that helps us to digest the complex carbohydrates found in cruciferous vegetables and beans, so once again very important for vegans and vegetarians. Alpha Galactosidase comes in very handy as digestive support if we are experiencing wind or bloating after eating foods like cauliflower, cabbage, broccoli and beans.

Conclusion

Digestive enzyme supplements work best when they are made from full-spectrum formulas containing multiple digestive enzymes that address every food group.

Look for a vegan digestive enzyme product that uses Thera-blend™ technology. This process carefully selects multiple variants of each digestive enzyme category and then blends them to be effective throughout the entire digestive tract. Most supplemental enzyme formulas are effective or active within a very narrow pH range, so choosing an enzyme formula that will be active throughout the entire digestive tract is essential.  Also, read the ingredients label and avoid products containing fillers such as magnesium stearate, apple pectin or rice starch.

The best enzyme formulas to use are from Enzymedica UK. This company is well known for its enzyme expertise. If you’ve not previously tried a digestive enzyme supplement, she suggests their Digest Gold™ product. This vegan and Kosher supplement is formulated with 13 different digestive enzymes, ATP, Magnesium citrate, phytase and CoQ10, in an easy-to-swallow capsule.